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Living With Traumatic Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to the brain that may be mild, moderate, or severe. Symptoms of any type of TBI can be long lasting (chronic). Depending on the area of the brain that is affected, a TBI can interfere with vision, memory, concentration, speech, balance, sense of touch, and sleep. TBI can also cause chronic symptoms like headache or dizziness.
How to cope with lifestyle changes
After a TBI, you may need to make changes to your lifestyle in order to recover as well as possible. How quickly and how fully you recover will depend on the severity of your injury. Your recovery plan may involve:
- Working with specialists to develop a rehabilitation plan to
help you return to your regular activities. Your health care team may include:
- Physical or occupational therapists.
- Speech and language pathologists.
- Mental health counselors.
- Physicians like your primary care physician or neurologist.
- Taking time off work or school, depending on your injury.
- Avoiding situations where there is a risk for another head injury, such as football, hockey, soccer, basketball, martial arts, downhill snow sports, and horseback riding. Do not do these activities until your health care provider approves.
- Resting. Rest helps the brain to heal. Make sure you:
- Get plenty of sleep at night. Avoid staying up late at night.
- Keep the same bedtime hours on weekends and weekdays.
- Rest during the day. Take daytime naps or rest breaks when you feel tired.
- Avoiding extra stress on your eyes. You may need to set time limits when working on the computer, watching TV, and reading.
- Finding ways to manage stress. This may include:
- Avoiding activities that cause stress.
- Deep breathing, yoga, or meditation.
- Listening to music or spending time outdoors.
- Making lists, setting reminders, or using a day planner to help your memory.
- Allowing yourself plenty of time to complete everyday tasks, such as grocery shopping, paying bills, and doing laundry.
- Avoiding driving. Your ability to drive safely may be affected
by your injury.
- Rely on family, friends, or a transportation service to help you get around and to appointments.
- Have a professional evaluation to check your driving ability.
- Access support services to help you return to driving. These may include training and adaptive equipment.
Follow these instructions at home:
- Take over-the-counter and prescription medicines only as told by your health care provider. Do not take aspirin or other anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen or naproxen unless approved by your health care provider.
- Avoid large amounts of caffeine. Your body may be more sensitive to it after your injury.
- Do not use any products that contain nicotine or tobacco, such as cigarettes, e-cigarettes, nicotine gum, and patches. If you need help quitting, ask your health care provider.
- Do not use drugs.
- Limit alcohol intake to no more than 1 drink per day for nonpregnant women and 2 drinks per day for men. One drink equals 12 ounces of beer, 5 ounces of wine, or 1½ ounces of hard liquor.
- Do not drive until cleared by your health care provider.
- Keep all follow-up visits as told by your health care provider. This is important.
Where to find support
- Talk with your employer, co-workers, teachers, or school counselor about your injury. Work together to develop a plan for completing tasks while you recover.
- Talk to others living with a TBI. Join a support group with other people who have experienced a TBI.
- Let your friends and family members know what they can do to help. This might include helping at home or transportation to appointments.
- If you are unable to continue working after your injury, talk to a social worker about options to help you meet your financial needs.
- Seek out additional resources if you are a military serviceman
or family member, such as:
- Defense and Veterans Brain Injury Center: dvbic.dcoe.mil
- Department of Veterans Affairs Military and Veterans Crisis Line: 1-800-273-8255
Questions to ask your health care provider:
- How serious is my injury?
- What is my rehabilitation plan?
- What is my expected recovery?
- When can I return to work or school?
- When can I return to regular activities, including driving?
Contact a health care provider if:
- You have new or worsening:
- Dizziness.
- Headache.
- Anxiety or depression.
- Irritability.
- Confusion.
- Jerky movements that you cannot control (seizures).
- Extreme sensitivity to light or sound.
- Nausea or vomiting.
Summary
- Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is an injury to your brain that can interfere with vision, memory, concentration, speech, balance, sense of touch, and sleep. TBI can also cause chronic symptoms like headache or dizziness.
- After a TBI you may need to make several changes to your lifestyle in order to recover as well as possible. How quickly and how fully you recover will depend on the severity of your injury.
- Talk to your family, friends, employer, co-workers, teachers, or school counselor about your injury. Work together to develop a plan for completing tasks while you recover.